Fifteen years ago, Alok Sawhney was in an MD-MBA program training to be a physician. But after finishing his child psychiatry rotation, he realized he loved learning about human behavior. He decided to leave medicine, complete his MBA and work in health-care administration. He successfully managed physician practices for several large hospital systems, but wasn't entirely fulfilled by his career. "I always felt like something was missing," explains Sawhney.
That's when he decided to return to school to earn a PsyD in clinical psychology at Carlos Albizu University in Miami while continuing to work full time. Today, he's a part of a 30-member team at Chicago-based Vantage Leadership Consulting that assesses and develops leaders for organizations such as Exelon, MITRE and Whirlpool.
What does your job entail?
When a client is considering several candidates for selection or promotion, I help hiring managers and human resources professionals understand each candidate's style of leadership. I'm based in Philadelphia, so I focus on supporting clients located in the northeast, such as those in Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C.
We conduct several types of assessments. For example, we create simulations with actors to see how candidates respond to common supervisory situations, such as a meeting between the candidate and an "employee." We see how the candidate coaches him or her about work performance. We might also give someone many emails and phone messages to see how the candidate prioritizes and deals with competing demands.
We often conduct interviews in which we ask about career histories, aspirations and how candidates have approached various work situations. We also use psychometric tools to gather data about personality, aptitude and interests. We work in teams to balance our perspectives and to be most objective.
After gathering all the data, we integrate it and write a summary report that's clear and understandable to our clients. Then, we give feedback to the hiring manager and to the candidates about their strengths and developmental opportunities. Our goal is to provide the organization with an objective view of how a person will do in a role and help the selected candidate become a better leader.
What else does your job entail?
We also help employees who want to learn how to be better leaders or who want to be more effective with their teams. We help them identify their goals, understand what is and isn't working and make changes. We may do qualitative interviews of the leader's team to get input on a person's strengths and developmental areas. Because we spend a great deal of effort understanding our clients, over time we may become trusted advisors.
What do you enjoy most about your work?
I love the client interaction. I enjoy learning about people's stories and helping them figure out where they are trying to go. Once I had a client who was running a successful business, but he was having trouble keeping employees. By interviewing his direct reports and assessing him, it became clear that he could improve his business by changing the way he communicated with employees. He was very technically savvy, so when people asked him a simple question, he would give a long, complex answer. I helped him understand the importance of being concise. He set some goals to increase revenue and keep his employees engaged in their work, and by the end of the six months he'd met his goals. It was satisfying to see him flourish.
What is difficult about your job?
The administrative part of my work can get challenging. Because we have such an individualized approach, I spend a lot of time analyzing data, writing reports and managing client meetings. I work harder now than when I was working full time and going to graduate school.
How did you get the training needed to get your job?
While I was earning my PsyD, I assumed I would be a clinician. Then I went to APA's Annual Convention in 2012 and came across Div. 13 (Society of Consulting Psychology). I realized that this group was the perfect blend of my business and psychology worlds. It was an "aha" moment because I hadn't realized I could do both. After I finished my postdoc in clinical and consulting psychology, clients who were looking to improve their leadership skills for managing their organizations started asking for help, and I saw that my expertise could benefit them. I worked independently for eight months before I decided to look for a job with a firm that would provide a steady income. This would allow my wife to work part time and spend more time with our kids.
How did you find out about your current job?
I was a member of Div. 13 for several years, and through the organization I met an executive search consultant. When I became serious about finding a job, I called her and asked for help. She introduced me to the opportunity at Vantage.
Is there anything else readers should know?
My volunteer work in Div. 13 has accelerated my career by at least a decade. Being active helped me learn my craft and build relationships, and I found wonderful mentors who guided me when I was making decisions. When I got the offer from Vantage, I had another offer that would have been much easier for my family because it didn't require us to move. But when I talked to my advisors, they saw that the easier option wasn't the best decision because I would likely be bored in a few years. I'm glad I followed their advice because I love my work.
I also think it's important to be generous with your professional time. I am often called by colleagues from the division who ask for advice, and I try to pay it forward as others have so generously done for me. ■
To learn more about Div. 13 (Society of Consulting Psychology), visit https://societyofconsultingpsychology.orgopens in new window.
